First in South Africa: prominent SA retailer moves to reusable fruit and veg bags

Low waste, low cost convenience is here!

by: Katy Rose | 14 Feb 2019

For the first time, South Africans are being offered an alternative to wasteful, single-use barrier bags for their loose potatoes and onions. The bags move effortlessly from your trolley to your fridge, and can be easily tossed in the washing machine if they get grubby.

One of South Africa’s largest retailers, Pick n Pay supermarkets, has launched a trial of reusable netting bags in an effort to reduce unnecessary single use plastic bags.

The bags are on sale for R7.50 each from the following selected Pick n Pay stores:

Constantia

Gardens

Melkbos

Vangate Mall

Wynberg

Food24 spotted the bags on social media this week, when influential Cape Town food writer Ilana Sharlin-Stone posted about them on Instagram:

Ilana told Food24, "For years, I’ve felt awful about all those plastic liner bags that end up in my rubbish, and I struggled to find an alternative. I did the dance of joy when I found these reusable bags, which once I get home from the shops, I’m also using to store my produce in the fridge."

Suzanne Ackerman-Berman, director of transformation said in a statement, “Our customers have told us they want an alternative to plastic bags and would like to “refuse the bag”. We know that there are many considerations, such as size, durability and price, so we are working closely with our customers to trial various options."

She continued: "We believe that by following this process, we can drive real, long-term sustainable change, both for our environment and our customers.”

She added that customers are welcome to “bring their own transparent and sealable reusable bag in-store for loose selling produce.”

Pick n Pay also launched a new environment-friendly R5 budget bag which is made from green recycled plastic bottles, which will be rolled out to 22 stores nationwide

The netting produce bags will be available from mid-February across the country at these stores: